Should’ve just done the story on the disappearing bees.

Alpinist created a Bandcamp account and put up all six tracks from their side of the Alpinist/Masakari split as well as their previous two albums for streaming and free download. The songs’ musical stylings follow suit from their 2010 release, LICHTLÆRM; however, the tracks sound more darker and more extreme. I really like what I’m hearing.

And about Masakari’s siiiiiide… Holy friggin’ crap. I think they really one-upped themselves with these eight insanely blistering tracks. I mean… damn… I thought The Prophet Feeds was pretty heavy, but the songs from this split proved me wrong.

You can get copies of the Alpinist/Masakari split from Halo of Flies Records (for US customers) and Alerta Antifascista (for EU customers). The European versions are up for pre-order until August 25th which is the official release date for the split. Ya’ll Europeans are pretty fortunate since there will be three limited colors available: Grey/Black Haze, Silver/Black Haze, and White/Black Haze

Oh, and do yourself a favor and go see these two awesome bands on tour.

(Poster created by Aaron Edge Design)

(Photographer: xkohix PHOTOGRAPHY)

I’ve been listening to Akutagawa a bunch lately at home and in my car; these dudes make very positive music. I hope news of a new album surfaces. Similar artists to listen to are: AS MEIAS, Balloons, The North End, and unripe.

so i guess we have kept ourselves buried and sunken in a hole again; maybe not so stellar in the social outer realm; but obviously necessary. some things are hard to swallow. it’s been some difficult and confusing times since we returned from tour last November. winter froze in a denser ice than usual and killed everything this year; paving its future furrowed paths. well then, we have a lot to let out into the world. where to begin when one stay … Read More

via GHASTLY CITY SLEEP

Oathbreaker fans rejoice! If you’ve been following this band since its self-titled debut back in 2008, their newest release, Mælstrøm, is finally up for pre-order on Deathwish Inc. on white/brown vinyl, CD, and digital versions. You also get a pretty nifty poster with your order! You can also stream the whole album on the Deathwish Inc. website or here.

I just gave a round of listening to this album and it has already made it to my favorite albums of 2011. The band has certainly matured over the years since its debut. Expect aggression of a certain kind that I have not felt since CELESTE’s MORTE(S) NÉE(S). The titular track, “Mælstrøm”, is definitely a suprise ending to the album; give it a listen because I ain’t gonna spoil it. However, if you any guys have listened to the pre-Oathbreaker band, No Recess, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

(Photographer: Rachel Cobcroft)

Piana is the moniker of the Japanese ambient/electronic artist Naoko Sasaki. She started off as one-half of the duo called Card Skepper with guitarist Yuichiro Iwashita (now part of Minamo). She has also collaborated World’s End Girlfriend (a.k.a. Katsuhiko Maeda) and Mokira (a.k.a. Andreas Tilliander).

Her music can be described as delicate, simple, and child-like. Her music combined with her petite and cute voice makes it feel like you’re in a dream; also makes for great studying music! So far she has released three full-length albums: Snow Bird, Ephemeral, and Eternal Castle; there has been no recent news about any upcoming releases She also released a collaboration album, THE SOUND OF OUR SUMMER, with Her Space Holiday and Joseph Nothing as The Heartbreak Moment.

“Experience a soft focus, long exposure take on electronic sound, acoustic instrumentation and voice. Over the past five years Piana has created three full length records, culminating in her latest record, Eternal Castle.

With her ability to weave the fine musical interplays into intimate electronica, Piana has been likened to Tujiko Noriko and is tipped to become one of the most significant voices of the post-electronica world.”

(via Brisbane Powerhouse)

You can buy her first two albums—Snow Bird and Ephemeral—as a digital download via iTunes. You can also order physical copies of her albums from sellers through Amazon (beware some of the prices).

If you like her you also might want to check out Tujiko Noriko, Caroline, and Sawako.

I won’t post links to download her albums for everyone to use until Piana writes me back an e-mail—it’s been about three months since I sent her one. However, if you really want them, please send me a message/comment with your e-mail address and I will write you back. So until then you can listen to some of her music on her MySpace; you can also sample songs from Amazon or iTunes. Here’s a nice music video of her song, “Something is Lost“, from the album, Ephemeral.

Hey guys, I know that it has been a while since I’ve posted anything new.  I have not been able to keep up with updates since I am pretty busy now due to the fact that spring semester started last month.  But do not worry, this blog ain’t dead yet! It is still too young, haha.

Now that 2010 has come to close, I’ll list my favorite 10 albums—in no particular order. 2010 has particularly been a good year for new music; long awaited albums and albums that were seriously under the radar.

CELESTE – MORTE(S) NÉE(S)

France’s CELESTE never ceases to amaze me. MORTE(S) NÉE(S) is CELESTE’s third full-length. The poster for the 2010 Denovali Swingfest described CELESTE as “Hell’s choir.”

Aggressive. Crushing. Intense. Menacing. Negative. Overwhelming. Vehement.

MORTE(S) NÉE(S) is the musical manifestation of all things related to rage. You should definitely check this album out.

Juli – In Love

For those of you that have listened to their earlier albums and then listened to In Love, you’d probably go “Whoa, this album sounds totally different from the rest of their releases.” Well, I guess that is what happens when there is a four year gap between albums.

In Love has groovy beats and gloomy melodies. Juli have also incorporated some electronic elements into some of their songs.

A great listen.

Envy – Recitation

Probably the most awaited album from the Japanese legends.

Envy have taken all the things they’ve done in the past 18 years and created a heavenly amalgam of sound.

Probably the most uplifting record I have ever listened to.

Glasses – The Ills of Life

The latest release from Germany’s hardcore punk supergroup, Glasses.

It’s got very hard-rockin’ tracks. “Mt. Ashtray” is the track to look out for while listening to the Ills of Life. The sequence of “Mt. Ashtray” -> “Vertigos” -> “Fullthrottle” could be considered one huge song. It starts quietly from “Mt. Ashtray” and slowly builds to the kick-ass denouement of “Fullthrottle”. Pedal to the metal, baby!

Christina Aguilera – Bionic

I would like to thank Christina Aguilera for showing up as a guest on Conan; I downloaded most of her discography due to her glamorous presence  on the show (“Genie in a Bottle” nostalgia also commenced). Aaaaaaaanyways, let’s get to Bionic.

The name “Bionic” says it all. It’s focused on electronic elements and it’s heavy on the synths. Aguilera worked with a variety of producers and artists such as Ladytron, Le Tigre, and Linda Perry so there’s a diversity of styles. This assortment showcases Aguilera’s versatility. Fo’ realz. I LAUV IT!

Ghastly City Sleep – M O O N D R I F T S

If I did not check Ghastly City Sleep’s Last.fm shoutbox when M O O N D R I F T S was released last June(?) this album probably would have not made it onto this list. It must have been fate that brought me to shell out six bones for this record.

Drastically different, but really fresh sound when compared to the self-titled EP. Brandon Evans’ vocals took me by surprise; he’s pretty good! Expect lush soundscapes, beautifully crafted passages, and trip-hoppy sequences.

The LP version has BEEEEEEYOUUUTEEEEFULLLLLL artwork. Definitely give this a listen.

Alpinist - LICHTLÆRM

Insaaaaaaaaaaaaaane. What else can I say?

Oh! Whatever I said in the Alpinist post.

heaven in her arms - 幻月

Doom as fuck.

Explosive as fuck.

Screamo as fuck.

Post-rock as fuck.

“Halcyon” segueing into “Butterfly in Right Helicoid” is godly.

Sed Non Satiata – Sed Non Satiata

Sed Non Satiata was super sneaky releasing this album due to the fact that none of the band members ever announced the release of their new album; the Sed Non Satiata website still says that the “new album is coming soon.” Oh well, I still got to listen to it because some dude posted a link to download it.

Sed Non Satiata do a very excellent job combining screamo elements with post-rock tendencies. Their sound has definitely matured (not that they sucked in their previous releases) since the split with Daïtro. This album is only five tracks long, but it packs a punch. Very “romantic” screamo.

Daikaiju – Phase 2

Do I really need to say anything?

IT’S DAIKAIJU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SUPER SURF ACTION GURUS!!!!

(Artist: ArtGhoul71)

"This one has forgotten whether its heatsink is over capacity.
It wonders whether the criminal scum considers itself fortunate?"

(Photographer: Jonathan K. Manning)

My gosh… I forgot how good this band is. The Kodan Armada were a screamo/emo band from Louisville, Kentucky. While they weren’t a ground-breaking band or anything their music still provides that visceral essence that many screamo bands utilize. The effect that the music has on the listener is multiplied due to the fact that all the members of the Kodan Armada take part in screaming/singing lyrics. So yeah, it’s a whole motherfuckin’ armada headed straight for your heart.

“I feel like our role was to help people find a part of themselves that they weren’t able to access without an excuse to let it out – the screaming and crying was just a bigger part of how all of us really feel on the inside, but we’re all so limited by our roles in life and what we’re told is acceptable that we’re never able to let it out. Maybe we were just another screamo band, but I really want to believe that we were able to let people accept that, and to let it into and out of their hearts like one huge pulsating emotion going through all of us in those sweaty basement nights. Thank you for being a part of what Kodan Armada was, and what it was able to do.”

- Adam (Guitar)

(via Louisville Hardcore)

If any of you are wondering about the origin of their name, they took it from a 1984 sci-fi flick called The Last Starfighter; this was one of my favorite movies when I was younger (I got my hands on the 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray for $10 a while back; shit’s cash). In The Last Starfighter, the evil d00dz are from the Ko-Dan Empire. And more importantly, since all galactic empires should not be without a fleet of space warships, the empire has the Ko-Dan Armada.

You can get a digital download version of Collections, Vol. 1 from Amazon.

Ohio Killed The Grey Ghost

Collections, Vol. 1

(Photographer: Unknown)

heaven in her arms is a Japanese band that combines the styles of screamo, hardcore, and post-rock—and most recently doom?—to produce an amalgam of sound that most certainly makes this band stand out from other outfits in the Japanese underground. If the Armageddon had a soundtrack, this band would be the equivalent of the seven trumpets; just listen to the second track, “Rusty Trace”, from Duplex-Coated Obstruction. One thing that seems to turn people off is Kent’s high-pitched screams. Don’t let it get to you though… Just stick with it and the vocals will eventually sink in and you’ll be able to appreciate what this group has to offer.

When I first listened to Erosion of the Black Speckle, the introduction track, “Manifesto”,  began as a wall of distorted yet melodic sound that transitioned into spoken word with dissonant guitars and a heavily whopping one-note bassline+bass drum. Another way to describe “Manifesto” is that it sounds like a slowed down version of Sum 41‘s “Billy Spleen“. Yeah, I’m serious.

Once the opening track finished, it segued into “Filled Up With A Bruise”. This song almost made me stop listening to this band due to the aforementioned high-pitched screams. However, I forced myself to keep listening because the musical composition of this song was jawdropping—double bass drum bombardment with apocalyptic guitars. It continued to get better and better as the record progressed. In my opinion, if you end up liking Erosion of the Black Speckle you will probably end up liking the other albums like I did. It seems that with every release, heaven in her arms continues to refine its musical prowess—the albums definitely showcase it.

heaven in her arms’ latest release, Paraselene, will be released by Denovali Records on 2xLP/CD formats. So you HIHA fans better check that out by clicking the Denovali Records link below. I’ll probably be getting myself a copy when I have the money and (if) Denovali still has ‘em in stock by then.

You can order the other albums, splits, and merch from own heaven in her arms’ own label, Liberation of butterfly.

“Some people in the past have called the likeable Japanese guys in HEAVEN IN HER ARMS the younger brother of ENVY or a really good “rip-off” of ENVY’s masterpieces  ”All The Footprints You’ve Ever Left…” and “A Dead Sinking Story”.  Descriptions like “excellent Japanese screamo fused with ideas of progressive hardcore” and “massively bombastic emotional hardcore with extreme vocals” were established in the underground music scene as well.”

(via Denovali Records)

Demo (2004)

Self-Titled EP

黒斑の侵蝕 (Erosion of the Black Speckle)

heaven in her arms/killie Split

被覆する閉塞 (Duplex-Coated Obstruction)

幻月 (Paraselene)

This was actually my first post on this blog, but I took it down because I wanted to ask for permission to provide people links to download this band’s music. So I sent an e-mail and Kent replied back three days later and this is—an unedited version of—what he said:

Hi thanks for mail.

 About free download,We cannot say yes officially.
 Because the label was paid a lot of money making our CDs you know?
 They are not rich men,But They paid for that.It's not cheap.
 We cannot say do that.Why we can say Let's do it!?

 But We are not interst about download matter,We don't care.

 Thanks for asking.You are good man.

 Thanks

 kent/heaven in her arms